Between 1933 and 1945, Nazi Germany established about
20,000 camps to imprison its many millions of victims. These camps were used for
a range of purposes including forced-labor camps, transit camps which served as
temporary way stations, and extermination camps built primarily or exclusively
for mass murder. From its rise to power in 1933, the Nazi regime built a series
of detention facilities to imprison and eliminate so-called "enemies of the (Website #1)
state." Most prisoners in the early concentration camps were German Communists,
Socialists, Social Democrats, Roma (Gypsies), Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, and persons accused of "asocial" or
socially deviant behavior. These facilities were called “concentration camps”
because those imprisoned there were physically “concentrated” in one location.
20,000 camps to imprison its many millions of victims. These camps were used for
a range of purposes including forced-labor camps, transit camps which served as
temporary way stations, and extermination camps built primarily or exclusively
for mass murder. From its rise to power in 1933, the Nazi regime built a series
of detention facilities to imprison and eliminate so-called "enemies of the (Website #1)
state." Most prisoners in the early concentration camps were German Communists,
Socialists, Social Democrats, Roma (Gypsies), Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, and persons accused of "asocial" or
socially deviant behavior. These facilities were called “concentration camps”
because those imprisoned there were physically “concentrated” in one location.
Millions of people were imprisoned, abused and systematically murdered in the
various types of Nazi camps. Under SS management, the Germans and
their collaborators murdered more than three million Jews in the killing centers
alone. Only a small fraction of those imprisoned in Nazi camps survived (website #2)
various types of Nazi camps. Under SS management, the Germans and
their collaborators murdered more than three million Jews in the killing centers
alone. Only a small fraction of those imprisoned in Nazi camps survived (website #2)
The term "Holocaust," originally from the Greek word "holocaustic" which means
"sacrifice by fire," refers to the Nazi's persecution and planned slaughter of
the Jewish people. The Hebrew word "Shao," which means "devastation, ruin, or
waste," is also used for this genocide. (website #3)
"sacrifice by fire," refers to the Nazi's persecution and planned slaughter of
the Jewish people. The Hebrew word "Shao," which means "devastation, ruin, or
waste," is also used for this genocide. (website #3)